Thankful Travel Advice for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving week is going to be a lot different than it was a year ago.

Because lots of things are different than they were a year ago when we were going into Thanksgiving week of 2020. There were no vaccines. The color-coded restrictions were firmly in place. Restaurants were barely surviving or had shut down. Masks were all on. Few kids were in school, family gatherings were limited, and few people were travelling.

But now here in 2021, experts predict the biggest holiday travel surge so far during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines say they’re booked with lots of passengers. Airports are recommending making parking reservations and leaving extra time to catch your flight. Amtrak is expecting an increase in passengers during what it is traditionally busiest week of the year.

And the Auto Club says if you’re driving somewhere for Thanksgiving, you should be prepared for crowded rest stops and sold-out hotels. Despite the higher gas prices, they say it looks like a lot of people are ready for road trips.

But along with all the travelling expected for Thanksgiving, there are also a lot of words of caution and concern about avoiding a big spike in COVID cases, most especially among those who are unvaccinated.

Airline passengers are being required to wear masks in airports and on planes. Families driving to parents and grandparents’ homes are being urged to wear masks in crowded places including homes for Thanksgiving dinner if there are unvaccinated folks or older folks around who are at high risk.

But no matter where we go or what we do, we can all be thankful that this Thanksgiving will be a lot better than last year’s.

SEE TSA Travel News.

(Photo Getty Images)